September 7, 2025 • 30 mins
Redefining investment through a kingdom lens challenges everything our culture teaches us about value and growth. While the world fixates on financial returns, God's economy measures success by transformed lives and spiritual fruit that remains.
This episode dives deep into what it truly means to invest as Christians in a society obsessed with immediate gratification. Our conversation with Jason Kriedler explores how biblical investment focuses on people rather than portfolios—it's about pouring ourselves into relationships that foster spiritual growth in others and ourselves.
Many believers hesitate to invest in others because they feel inadequate or unqualified. But as we discover, God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called. The most powerful investments often happen when we simply step out in faith, trusting the Holy Spirit to fill our gaps and work through our willingness rather than our expertise. We share personal stories of how informal moments—camping trips, coffee conversations, walking through life's challenges together—often create the deepest impact.
Like any worthwhile investment, kingdom investment is a long game. The returns may not be immediately visible, but they're eternal in significance. Jesus himself modeled this by investing years in ordinary disciples who ultimately changed the world. Whether you're feeling called to disciple others or seeking someone to pour into you, this episode offers practical wisdom for taking that first step toward investing in what truly matters.
Are you ready to shift your perspective from worldly returns to eternal dividends? Listen now to discover how small, consistent deposits of time and presence can yield immeasurable growth in God's kingdom.
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Intro music by Joey Blair
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
what's up, lifehouse fam.
Welcome back to the life talkpodcast.
My name is jarvis and I am backin the seat.
Uh, last week we had a littlesurprise.
Uh, I was back.
It's been a little bit, but, um, what a joy it is to be back.
Uh, today we're joined withmore special guests, as always.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Nate, our boy, hey back in the number two seat,
co-pilot.
You know, we're both number one.
We're both number one.
I'm one b, though you're one a,I'm one b.
I wouldn't be nothing withoutmy co-pilot.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
You know what I mean.
Um no, I appreciate it we'reback with nate and then also we
have jason cry they're one ofour elders is back again.
I feel like he's been afrequent guest in 2025.
First three-time appearance, Iknow.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
He's clearly a rock star, or we're desperate and
he's the only one to show up.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, I get to fill C3,.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I guess he's just gullible enough to come talk to
us.
We haven't chased him off yet.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah, no we love having you on man, it's a
blessing Well.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
I enjoy being here.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Yeah, we love it.
And so today we're going totalk about the next kind of
series portion of our FaithfullyDifferent series, which is we
invest and kind of just whatthat means and just taking it,
you know, from a biblicalperspective, right, and we'll
talk about that a little bit,what the world says and kind of
how we are to be faithfullydifferent in the way that we
invest in just different areasof our lives, and so, yeah, it's
(01:25):
going to be an awesome time.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, and so Life Talk, family journeying through
2025, faithfully different as wemove into September.
Our theme this month is weinvest Really.
We are to be moved in our faith, to invest in many ways and I
know we'll get into that on thisepisode.
There's a lot of differentavenues and ways that that can
(01:48):
really take place and form.
But Jason bringing us thesermon, bringing us the word
this month on this.
So, generally, I think, as wewere talking, getting prepped
for the episode, how would wereally define it?
Because certainly, in theUnited States especially, we are
the corporate capital of theworld.
You say invest.
Everybody thinks stock markets,thinks financials.
(02:09):
How should we, in a Christian,biblical context, really think
about investing?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, that's an interesting word because it
invokes all of these financialideas.
But even in a worldly financialrealm, the word invest still
has undertones of trying to growright, to create more right.
Invest something now so thatyou get something more back you
don't invest to lose somethingright?
(02:38):
No, not typically You're a badinvestor if that's what's
happening.
So, yeah, there's always thisidea of I'm going to put in
effort and investment, I'm goingto sow seeds now so that I can
reap something more later.
And biblically, I mean, likewe're taught that over and over
and over again, this idea ofsowing and reaping and investing
(03:00):
.
And we have a core value hereat Lifehouse, right, legacy,
investing in the next generation, and that's certainly part of
it, and we try to do that wellhere at Lifehouse.
But I think investing is evenbroader than that, right, and we
just think about from abiblical worldview, what does it
look like to invest in God'skingdom or to invest in what God
(03:21):
is doing right, invest in whatGod is doing right, what is that
going to look like?
And what does that look likehere at Lifehouse and what can
it look like in each of ourlives?
Right, and I think it's goingto look different across the
board and we have lots ofdifferent ways that we try to
partner with God as we invest inpeople.
(03:42):
Right, this isn't a monetaryinvestment, right?
We're not.
We're not talking about, okay,how should, how should, um, our
life house family invest their,their finances, right?
That's a different conversation.
You know, go, go, take one ofthe financial peace classes if
that's what you're looking for.
But uh, we want to look at howdo we spiritually invest
(04:03):
specifically in people, right?
What does that look like?
And one of those things isinvesting in the next generation
older, more mature Christians,spiritually mature, investing in
those that are either youngeror less spiritually mature.
And we can do that lots of ways, right, I think of Team, think
(04:25):
of team kid, right, and as thesekids are getting older, they're
getting poured into by adults,by lifehouse staff.
I think of our youth group,right, I think of lyia.
Yeah, I think of theseopportunities where we have
older, more mature, um lifehousefamily pouring into those that
(04:46):
are younger.
those are still growing, right,and we're using that word growth
, like the expectation is thatwe're gonna see these either
young kids, or these teenagersor these, you know, 20
somethings grow right ourexpectation is that in two,
three, five years they're notgoing to be at the same place,
(05:07):
and that part of that growthcomes from our investment in
them, right week after weekmonth after month, year after
year.
Uh, that that the kids that aregraduating from the youth group
right, they're seniors in highschool and they're going off to
bigger and better things.
They were once in team kid,right, and who they were
(05:31):
spiritually in team kidhopefully isn't the same as what
they are as they're graduatingfrom high school, as they've
been year in and year outthrough.
You know these differentprograms that we have where
people are investing in people.
So I mean, that's just one wayof doing it.
That's a few things that wehave at Lifehouse, but I still
(05:52):
think there's a broader idea ofinvesting in God's kingdom.
But that's certainly one waythat we are trying to partner
with what God's doing.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, and I think it is an interesting what God's
doing, yeah, and I think I thinkit is an interesting.
I think often fear plays a partin investment in some way right
, like people feel maybeinadequate or, um, you know, not
equipped to play the part ofthe investor ultimately.
I mean, I think you see thatwith the side, with your
relationships, I mean I don't, Idon't know enough, I can't
(06:21):
disciple someone you know Um,maybe kind of talk about that,
just like as, just like aspeople are thinking about
investing the fear aspect andmaybe overcoming the fear or
maybe really pushing through thefear, because we are not all
equipped enough for all of thedifferent areas, and so kind of
just talk about that a littlebit maybe.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yeah, I would even throw a comment on that.
Just to keep the financialanalogy, the reason people don't
achieve the returns is becausethey're risk averse.
You know, like God doesn't callus to be comfortable or not to
grow, you know.
So a lot of people are riskaverse because either, like
Jarvis you said, being fearfulor feeling inadequate.
You know.
So sorry, I just wanted to tossthat thought into that.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
No, I completely agree.
I think there's probably manypeople in our church family
maybe some listening to thisthat are going.
That sounds great, but like I'mnot the guy, that's not me, I
don't know enough, I don't, Idon't have the time, I don't
have the talent, I don't like.
I see all these other peopledoing it Good for them yeah.
(07:23):
Something like gifting, yeah,something like gifting.
And I would just encourageanyone who is having those kinds
of feelings that for one you'renot inadequate, because anyone
who is leaning on God, leaningon the Holy Spirit, it's
ultimately his work.
Yeah Right, my wife says allthe time she feels so inadequate
, anytime she's talking ortrying to communicate something,
(07:46):
but over and over and over in ameeting that we'll be having,
she's sitting there going whatam I even going to add to this
conversation, to this discussion?
And then she'll have this trainof thought, this idea,
something to add that nobodyelse either had thought of, or a
different way of framingsomething that is really really
(08:11):
crucial in the discussion.
And afterwards she goes well,that wasn't me, I wouldn't have
said it that way anyway.
Like that's not the way.
I think it just kind of came tome and it came through the Holy
Spirit.
Like the Holy Spirit does thatwork?
So as we step out, as we takesteps of faith, like God will,
will partner with that step offaith.
(08:32):
That's how faith works, right.
We we take a step, knowing thatGod will back us up.
He'll be there, because that'sthe kind of God that we serve.
That's who he wants us to be.
He wants us to take those steps, even though it's fearful, even
though we feel inadequate.
We take a step of faith andthen we watch as God meets us
there and fills in all the gapsRight.
(08:54):
I think of a Moses who who saidover and over again when God
said hey time to step up, he hadall the excuses in the book
right, he had he had all theexcuses, I can't talk.
had he had all the excuses, I?
Speaker 1 (09:07):
can't talk and I'm I'm not, like I'm, I'm a
fugitive and like you don't wantme, no one's gonna listen to me
.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Yeah, yeah at the end of the day, he was like you
know what, just send somebodyelse and you know he had so many
inadequacies and god used him.
Yeah, like he was a mightyleader.
God can use anybody.
So I would just encourageanyone who's listening like take
a step and jump in, whetherthat's in like youth or the kids
(09:36):
, or in like an LYA, or in ourconnect groups or discipleship.
We have all these discipleshipopportunities right.
There's so many ways to investin another human being right In
relationships, and I would justencourage you to do it Like step
out and try it and watch Godwork.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Well, I'm even, you know, thinking of the parable of
the talents you know like wetalked about God has given you.
Maybe it's one, maybe it's five,maybe it's 10, but he's giving
you something and he calls usall to, like you just said, step
out to use your talents, toinvest them so that there's a
return.
So there's that growth.
And you know, certainly in aspiritual warfare context, you
(10:21):
know, Satan likes us when we'recomfortable not not doing those
things, not moving forwardbecause we're not doing our part
to grow in the faith.
So I think, yeah, we've talkedabout growth as a key word.
And how are we investing?
Because we're given time, we'regiven talents, we're given.
You know, getting away from thefinancial analogies, you know
(10:41):
God's put people around us to orinto.
So how much are we willing toinvest?
Do you wake up every day?
You know your feet hit thefloor.
How can I invest this day thatI've been given for God's glory
or for his purposes?
And there's so many ways to dothat.
So how are you walking forwardin those those ways?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Yeah, what for you, jasonason, have been some of the
maybe most beneficial ways thatpeople have invested in you,
that maybe they can be obviousor just like man.
This happened to me like I wasinvested in this way, because I
think in my own life we're likeI didn't know they were
investing in me and looking back, you're like man.
(11:21):
They were they were.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
They were definitely doing that.
They know, they knew what theywere doing.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
you know yeah, Um and yeah.
So what are some of theinstances I think it's helpful
to listen to, to know that it'snot just a formal Sunday morning
you got to sit down in a classand teach a kid a thing, Um.
But there are many differentways, as you mentioned already,
that they don't even involveteaching.
You don't have to teachanything correct.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
You can invest in other ways yeah, yeah, over the
over my life.
When I just reflect on peoplethat have invested in me, I
first think about my mom and dad, right, and how they
intentionally invested in myspiritual maturity growing up.
Um, I think about, uh, some ofmy youth leaders, right, and I
(12:07):
know you're saying like notformally, but those people, yeah
, like year after year, pouredinto me and my peers, yeah, in
ways that I didn't appreciate atthe time at all.
Yeah, but looking back, I'mlike they spent so much time and
energy and not just like when Ithink about, um, my youth
(12:29):
leaders when I was like ateenager.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
And the most impactful times, the things that
impacted me, the memories thatI have, weren't a classroom, it
wasn't a Wednesday night, itwasn't a Sunday morning, it was
the times when we went camping.
It was the times when we went onbike rides, it was the times
when we were sitting around likea campfire and just talking
about life or something happenedand I'm just, like you know,
(12:57):
talking to my youth leader aboutit.
Yeah, it was those momentsright, where things happen while
you're on one of those trips orone of those retreats and like
you have to deal with it with ayouth leader, right, it was
those moments where I felt themost invested.
Looking back and then movingforward in my life, I had some
(13:20):
amazing peers as I got into,like college age that we were
investing in each other, um, anda couple key like older adults
that again like, like you said,um, I didn't realize it at the
time, again, like you said, Ididn't realize it at the time
but these key people that were alittle older than you, that
(13:44):
kind of just pulled you intotheir life.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Right, and, before you know it, you're living life
with them, watching them gothrough situations, navigating
that yeah.
Watching them, parent watchingthem, deal, deal with things,
and then you're starting to askthem questions and just having,
you know, real discussions andum, just talking about life and
(14:09):
navigating that with someoneelse yeah, it's so integral,
like yeah, I mean, I think ofthat.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
You made that youth comment.
Like I remember right out ofhigh school being involved in
the youth group and it's a, it'sa challenge.
Like when you're in it, you'relike, okay, I'm just, but when
you're serving in it I disciple.
A couple of guys who haveserved in the youth group and
just they're like man, like Idon't know if I want to keep
doing this, like I feel likethey're not even listening to me
(14:36):
, I feel like they're not, likeI'm there for no reason or all
the different things.
And I often say like man, ayouth group is an investment
that you don't necessarily seein the moment.
Return on like that's the longball, like you're playing a long
ball with yeah you're there in,like you said, week in, week
out and just being available,and then, when they're 25,
they'll look back and be like,oh man, that youth leader.
(14:58):
He played a huge part in mylife because I was able to say
and this is what I'm strugglingwith today Like, all right, hey,
I've been a little crazy todayand he's kind of correcting me
and I didn't really like that,but it's what I needed in the
moment, you know like, and soit's hard, but it's without it.
I think people fall and aren'toften pulled back up in a lot of
instances, if that makes sense.
Yeah, so yeah, it's pretty wild.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, it's very important, for sure really
investing into the lives ofother people.
Like we said, it's not aboutmoney, it's not about that
numbers game, but and I thinkyou you hit on it it's doing
life together, walking withpeople, investing in them in a,
you know, sustained way.
You know, a lot of times wethink, oh, like you guys said,
(15:43):
it's like I'm teaching something, so I gotta download this
information.
A lot of times you don'tremember what you're the
greatest mentors in your life,like a lot of times you don't
remember necessarily things theysaid, but you remember how they
made you feel that they, you,were important, that they were
there for you.
That you were a priority to seeyou develop.
So I think to me that'sespecially as we're talking like
(16:04):
what investment looks like in,you know, strong christian
context.
So I don't know if you have anythoughts on that or kind of how
we can tangibly do that.
I think, like you said, ifpeople feel underqualified for
that, how would you encouragethem to start investing in some
way?
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I mean, I feel like, just like we said before, you
have to take a step out, and itdoesn't have to necessarily be
something that you'recomfortable with, right.
And it doesn't have to besomething formalized, right,
Maybe it's.
Maybe it's saying you know what?
I just want to grab a cup ofcoffee with another guy, Right?
(16:46):
Maybe it's peer to peer first.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
And you're like I just need to, I need to find one
or two people to buildrelationship with.
Okay, and if you're, if you'relistening to this and you're
like that sounds great, but whodo I ask?
Like I don't know, I'm justsupposed to walk up to someone
randomly on a Sunday morning andsay, hey, do you want to go get
coffee?
I mean, you could do that, um,but we also have resources here,
(17:11):
right, like, nate, you, youfacilitate a lot of that.
Someone could come to you andsay, hey, I'd love to meet with
one or two guys.
Right, get coffee, talk aboutlife, study through something,
whatever you know.
Is there anybody looking forthat?
Speaker 2 (17:29):
oh, yeah and when you learn where you are in life,
what you do.
That's a blessing at life house, you know, we do have.
We are blessed with so manypeople from so many walks of
life.
You know, as you get to know thecongregation there's somebody
who's walked through what you'vewalked through, there's
somebody who's probably been inyour shoes can really help you
and that you can connect with.
(17:50):
So yeah, we're definitely as awhy it's as a church body to
facilitate those connections.
Exactly like you say, gettinginto those relationships,
whether it's a small groupoffering those, whatever you're
struggling with too, you can getinto those discipleship
relationships and you're goingto bring something to that table
.
You will, we always say too,even if you've been walking a
(18:12):
little while but you've neverdiscipled anybody, you'll grow
as much from investing in thatrelationship as they do from you
.
A lot of times, if nothing else, you learn more because you
have to come prepared, and sothat might be a good segue.
We talked the importance ofinvesting into others, but how
do we also view spirituallyinvesting in ourselves, not so
(18:32):
much in the culturalself-centeredness, but how do we
invest in our personal faithand our personal walk?
You know what'd you say?
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Yeah, I mean I think that comes along with a lot of
the the other things that we'veseen already in this year's
study.
Right, we have focused onthings like being in God's word.
We've we've focused on prayer,we've focused on um, these ideas
, that, these ideas that reallybuild our relationship with
(19:04):
Christ, which is so pivotal.
I mean we have to be growing sothat we can we need to be
poured into so we can pour outto other people, so it shouldn't
be lost on us that it it isimportant to be investing in our
relationship with the Lord.
And that happens, I mean it itfeels oftentimes when we get to
this point in the conversation.
It it feels almost too you knowtoo wrote to say, well, read,
(19:29):
read your Bible and pray, butlike that's what you do.
Right, like if I asked someonewho was a professional athlete,
like what are the best things todo to get better at hitting a
baseball?
You swing.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
You swing a bat a lot of times.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Yeah, you hit a baseball over and, over and over
again.
You just do that thing a lot oftimes.
There's not a magic bullet,there's not all these fancy ways
to get better at hitting abaseball, to get better at
playing a piano, you just playthe piano.
Right?
There's basic practice.
That's important, right, andthat's no different in our
(20:10):
Christian walk, right?
If you want to know the Bible,you have to read the Bible.
So read the Bible.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
And I think of, too, that same sports analogy as I
was thinking about it.
It's like they're learning keyfactors to help them be better
at doing the thing that they'redoing.
And so often people will get tothe point of I can't really
invest in myself because I don'tknow how to read the Bible or I
don't know how to pray orwhatever that might be.
And it's like, how do you learnto do that?
Like you just learn the tipsand the ideas and you listen to
(20:40):
other people and you askquestions.
And I mean, like it's not just,I guess you should, even if you
don't know how to read thequote, unquote, how to read the
Bible, sit down and just read.
Like there are ways that you canlearn to study more in depth
and more real and more you knowpracticing really the practice
of it.
So you don't have to be alone,I mean, you don't have to just
(21:01):
push through and I'm not gettingnothing, that I'm just keep
reading Like there are ways towork through inductive Bible
study and different things likethat, and that's why you have a
coach right.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Like people don't know how to swing a bat, don't
just pick it up and all of asudden become good at it, like
you need a coach to tell you,hey, get your, get your elbow up
, or like, make sure your yourfeet are turned in, or whatever.
Like someone has to coach youalong the way and at some point
along that journey you can lookback and say oh, man, bud, you
(21:34):
got to like put your handstogether a little bit more, or
like choke up a little or getyour elbow up, because I heard
that a hundred times from mycoach you can start pouring
downstream right to those thatwere in your shoes a couple
years ago.
So, yeah, maybe one of thethings here is like, if you're
still sitting there feelinginadequate, you're like, well, I
don't know what to do, I don'tthink I could pour into anyone.
Well then, get poured intoright, get into a discipleship
(21:55):
relationship.
Right, reach out.
We'll get you paired up withsomeone and, after being
discipled for a little while,you'll be able to turn around
and then pour into someone elsebecause you will grow and as you
grow then you'll be able toturn around and and pour back
out like downstream.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, I think a key thing, too, is being willing to
invest the time in terms ofeverything we've just talked
about that practice swing.
It means you go to the battingcage, you make an hour and you
do it now and it takes effort.
You know, I think in our again,we're in a highly distracted
society.
It's easy to like time flies,doom scrolling, all of these
(22:36):
things.
Are you willing to invest thetime to put yourself in that and
spend the time with the Lordand with others to allow the
growth to happen, bothpersonally?
And you know, everything we'vetalked about investing in others
takes time.
You know your five minuteconversation.
you're not going to grow andthat's not much of an investment
into others if it's like, well,I got five minutes for you,
(22:58):
what's your question?
And give a canned answer.
But what are you strugglingwith?
Or what are you reading theBible that you're not
understanding?
Or maybe we pray together?
What is it that we can investtime?
I think that's always such.
Satan is so against our busyculture of like time is hard to
find, you know, we're always toobusy for it.
(23:19):
So, being an investment, Ithink really that being a key,
and I don't know if, maybe, ifyou've seen good, bad as a
teacher, you know you're alwaysinvesting into your students,
and with varying levels ofresponse, I'm sure, but you know
, again, we varying levels ofresponse, I'm sure, but you know
, again, we're kind of like whoare the best?
You know you talk about peoplepoured into you.
So maybe times when you saw themost personal growth, what kind
(23:40):
of moved you to invest time ortalents, you know how did you
kind of see that?
Or God moving?
I know you shared a great, youknow, Christy, being in meetings
.
You know how can we have theheart change to invest in
ourselves and others.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
That's a good question.
Um, I mean, I would start withprayer, because our heart
doesn't change on our own.
Like I can't really change myheart, but I can recognize that
I need a heart change.
So if I'm at that point, if I'mlike, okay, my heart's not
right, I need it to change, Iwant to be able to take these
(24:15):
steps and invest, but I know I'mnot there, then it's got to
start with prayer, asking God tochange my heart, to reframe and
realign the way I think abouthis kingdom priorities in my
life, cause it's probably a bigdeal.
Then I probably have prioritiesthat aren't in line.
If I can't find any time toinvest in God's kingdom.
(24:36):
There's probably a priorityissue, which means my heart
needs changed in that lane.
But it's going to take prayer,it's going to take um sacrifice
and saying, okay, god, I'm, I'mwilling to lay some things down,
but I need you to change myattitude, my heart posture.
(24:57):
Otherwise I'm just going tokeep saying over and over again
I don't have time, I don't havetime, I don't have talent.
You can get stuck in that place.
So it's got to start with Goddoing something in us to desire
to invest in somebody else.
If you have a desire to investin God's kingdom, you're going
to find ways to do it.
Like, at the end of the day, wefind ways to do things that we
(25:19):
love.
If, if, if your heart is turnedtowards the things of God, you
will find time to do it Rightand you'll sacrifice things that
then don't mean as much anymore.
And I've had to journey througha lot of that Right.
I've had to let go of a lot ofthings that sucked up my time,
that I thought were reallyimportant, and now, looking back
(25:41):
, I'm like you, dummy, why didyou think that was important?
That should have been prioritynumber, like 53.
And I had it too, you know, Um,but it has to come through
prayer.
Prayer it has to come throughgod doing a work.
We can recognize that we needto change, but we just
continually go to god and askhim to to do that work.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Yeah, I think something you said too, jarvis,
and thinking about what you said, jason, it's the long game you
know, like investing is to bringback in the financial.
You know you don't do much.
Again, it creates the stockmarket like fast returns, you
know dot com bubbles, all thesekind of things.
Like fast growth.
But, true, like a Warren Buffett.
(26:23):
You mentioned financial peaceand helping with that ministry.
It's a long game.
You know you're investing alittle bit and the growth comes
over time and I think that's aneternal perspective of do you
want to grow closer to the Lordand have that eternal
perspective and invest in it?
You know, invest in therelationship with the Lord and
with others and it takes littledeposits over time.
(26:44):
You know those relationshipsthat you've talked about.
So I think that's hugely key ofour perspective and the choices
you make is really importanthow we view that investment and
the priorities.
You know, if your priority isthat and I think that's we talk
about sanctification that's Godpreparing us for what he wants
for us.
You know the direction we wantto go, so I'm sure you see that
(27:05):
again as a teacher and studentslike it's not that just get it
one day.
It's that investment you haveto make teaching over time, not
just get it one day.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
It's that investment you have to make, teaching them
over time.
I think too, sometimesinvesting in people is, like you
said, risk, and so I thinkoften it takes you being the
Lord places people in our heartall the time.
Right, a lot of the guys Idisciple is because when I saw
them, I was like they need to beinvested in, and who else is
going to do it?
Oh, no, I saw them, I was likethey need to be invested in, and
who else is going to do it?
(27:33):
Oh, no one.
Okay, I am, you know.
And so asking, taking kind ofthe bold approach and be like
hey, is anyone discipling you?
Are you meeting with anybody?
No, okay.
Well, hey, I would love to meetwith you and just talk through
the Bible and just, you know,teach what it looks like.
And so often I think peopledon't disciple because they just
don't ask and they want peopleto come and ask them, like, oh,
(27:54):
can I disciple you?
And it's like well, or can youdisciple me, or whatever.
That is like you have to onboth ends.
If you're someone who wants tobe discipled or someone, or you
want to disciple someone, therehas to be some aspect of I want
to invest in you, or can youinvest in me?
And taking the chance of beingtold no?
You know what I mean, becauseif not, you just don't, you're
(28:14):
just not going to ever haveanyone, you know.
So it's super important.
And so we have a couple minutesleft.
It feels like it's flown.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
This is awesome.
It's been a good conversation.
Jason's on.
We're like, oh, where does thistime go?
Great conversation.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
About two minutes left.
What kind of maybe last minuteencouragement.
If you had to kind of sum it upin a couple sentences, what
would you encourage someone totake away that they can maybe
take in and do today, tomorrow,or begin to pray?
Speaker 3 (28:43):
about I would.
I would say, come back to thismarathon mentality, right, that
that the, the prize is, in manyways, a long way off.
You may not see yourself orsomeone else growing along the
way, but you know that there'ssomething really important at
the end of that road, um, andthat God, in his word, cares
(29:06):
very much about people investingin his kingdom and his work and
the things that he's doing.
We see it littered throughoutscripture.
We see Jesus himself investingyears into these disciples who,
for all accounts, were nobodies.
Right, like, why would youinvest in these guys?
You could have picked betterguys, but he does, um.
(29:27):
So, knowing that God is in thebusiness of investing for the
long term, we should want tojoin him in that.
Yeah, right, and just knowingthat there's a prize, there's a
goal far down the road that'sreally, really worth it and go
(29:48):
for it.
Yeah, be willing to take a risk.
Yeah, jump in there.
That's good.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
And Jason, thank you so much.
Risk.
Yeah, jump in there, that'sgood.
And Jason, thank you so much.
Man, it's been a pleasure.
You're welcome, as always, italways is, so we look forward to
having you on for the fourthtime in 2025.
Hopefully.
I'll have to get that one onthe schedule.
Whenever that is, we'll figureit out.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Thanks a lot.
Thanks for tuning in to theLife Talk podcast.
If this episode encouraged you,please be sure to like, comment
, subscribe and leave a reviewso others can find this content
as well, and we'll look forwardto seeing you next Monday for
another great episode.
what's up, lifehouse fam.
Welcome back to the life talkpodcast.
My name is jarvis and I am backin the seat.
Uh, last week we had a littlesurprise.
Uh, I was back.
It's been a little bit, but, um, what a joy it is to be back.
Uh, today we're joined withmore special guests, as always.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Nate, our boy, hey back in the number two seat,
co-pilot.
You know, we're both number one.
We're both number one.
I'm one b, though you're one a,I'm one b.
I wouldn't be nothing withoutmy co-pilot.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
You know what I mean.
Um no, I appreciate it we'reback with nate and then also we
have jason cry they're one ofour elders is back again.
I feel like he's been afrequent guest in 2025.
First three-time appearance, Iknow.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
He's clearly a rock star, or we're desperate and
he's the only one to show up.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, I get to fill C3,.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I guess he's just gullible enough to come talk to
us.
We haven't chased him off yet.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah, no we love having you on man, it's a
blessing Well.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
I enjoy being here.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Yeah, we love it.
And so today we're going totalk about the next kind of
series portion of our FaithfullyDifferent series, which is we
invest and kind of just whatthat means and just taking it,
you know, from a biblicalperspective, right, and we'll
talk about that a little bit,what the world says and kind of
how we are to be faithfullydifferent in the way that we
invest in just different areasof our lives, and so, yeah, it's
(01:25):
going to be an awesome time.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, and so Life Talk, family journeying through
2025, faithfully different as wemove into September.
Our theme this month is weinvest Really.
We are to be moved in our faith, to invest in many ways and I
know we'll get into that on thisepisode.
There's a lot of differentavenues and ways that that can
(01:48):
really take place and form.
But Jason bringing us thesermon, bringing us the word
this month on this.
So, generally, I think, as wewere talking, getting prepped
for the episode, how would wereally define it?
Because certainly, in theUnited States especially, we are
the corporate capital of theworld.
You say invest.
Everybody thinks stock markets,thinks financials.
(02:09):
How should we, in a Christian,biblical context, really think
about investing?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, that's an interesting word because it
invokes all of these financialideas.
But even in a worldly financialrealm, the word invest still
has undertones of trying to growright, to create more right.
Invest something now so thatyou get something more back you
don't invest to lose somethingright?
(02:38):
No, not typically You're a badinvestor if that's what's
happening.
So, yeah, there's always thisidea of I'm going to put in
effort and investment, I'm goingto sow seeds now so that I can
reap something more later.
And biblically, I mean, likewe're taught that over and over
and over again, this idea ofsowing and reaping and investing
(03:00):
.
And we have a core value hereat Lifehouse, right, legacy,
investing in the next generation, and that's certainly part of
it, and we try to do that wellhere at Lifehouse.
But I think investing is evenbroader than that, right, and we
just think about from abiblical worldview, what does it
look like to invest in God'skingdom or to invest in what God
(03:21):
is doing right, invest in whatGod is doing right, what is that
going to look like?
And what does that look likehere at Lifehouse and what can
it look like in each of ourlives?
Right, and I think it's goingto look different across the
board and we have lots ofdifferent ways that we try to
partner with God as we invest inpeople.
(03:42):
Right, this isn't a monetaryinvestment, right?
We're not.
We're not talking about, okay,how should, how should, um, our
life house family invest their,their finances, right?
That's a different conversation.
You know, go, go, take one ofthe financial peace classes if
that's what you're looking for.
But uh, we want to look at howdo we spiritually invest
(04:03):
specifically in people, right?
What does that look like?
And one of those things isinvesting in the next generation
older, more mature Christians,spiritually mature, investing in
those that are either youngeror less spiritually mature.
And we can do that lots of ways, right, I think of Team, think
(04:25):
of team kid, right, and as thesekids are getting older, they're
getting poured into by adults,by lifehouse staff.
I think of our youth group,right, I think of lyia.
Yeah, I think of theseopportunities where we have
older, more mature, um lifehousefamily pouring into those that
(04:46):
are younger.
those are still growing, right,and we're using that word growth
, like the expectation is thatwe're gonna see these either
young kids, or these teenagersor these, you know, 20
somethings grow right ourexpectation is that in two,
three, five years they're notgoing to be at the same place,
(05:07):
and that part of that growthcomes from our investment in
them, right week after weekmonth after month, year after
year.
Uh, that that the kids that aregraduating from the youth group
right, they're seniors in highschool and they're going off to
bigger and better things.
They were once in team kid,right, and who they were
(05:31):
spiritually in team kidhopefully isn't the same as what
they are as they're graduatingfrom high school, as they've
been year in and year outthrough.
You know these differentprograms that we have where
people are investing in people.
So I mean, that's just one wayof doing it.
That's a few things that wehave at Lifehouse, but I still
(05:52):
think there's a broader idea ofinvesting in God's kingdom.
But that's certainly one waythat we are trying to partner
with what God's doing.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, and I think it is an interesting what God's
doing, yeah, and I think I thinkit is an interesting.
I think often fear plays a partin investment in some way right
, like people feel maybeinadequate or, um, you know, not
equipped to play the part ofthe investor ultimately.
I mean, I think you see thatwith the side, with your
relationships, I mean I don't, Idon't know enough, I can't
(06:21):
disciple someone you know Um,maybe kind of talk about that,
just like as, just like aspeople are thinking about
investing the fear aspect andmaybe overcoming the fear or
maybe really pushing through thefear, because we are not all
equipped enough for all of thedifferent areas, and so kind of
just talk about that a littlebit maybe.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yeah, I would even throw a comment on that.
Just to keep the financialanalogy, the reason people don't
achieve the returns is becausethey're risk averse.
You know, like God doesn't callus to be comfortable or not to
grow, you know.
So a lot of people are riskaverse because either, like
Jarvis you said, being fearfulor feeling inadequate.
You know.
So sorry, I just wanted to tossthat thought into that.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
No, I completely agree.
I think there's probably manypeople in our church family
maybe some listening to thisthat are going.
That sounds great, but like I'mnot the guy, that's not me, I
don't know enough, I don't, Idon't have the time, I don't
have the talent, I don't like.
I see all these other peopledoing it Good for them yeah.
(07:23):
Something like gifting, yeah,something like gifting.
And I would just encourageanyone who is having those kinds
of feelings that for one you'renot inadequate, because anyone
who is leaning on God, leaningon the Holy Spirit, it's
ultimately his work.
Yeah Right, my wife says allthe time she feels so inadequate
, anytime she's talking ortrying to communicate something,
(07:46):
but over and over and over in ameeting that we'll be having,
she's sitting there going whatam I even going to add to this
conversation, to this discussion?
And then she'll have this trainof thought, this idea,
something to add that nobodyelse either had thought of, or a
different way of framingsomething that is really really
(08:11):
crucial in the discussion.
And afterwards she goes well,that wasn't me, I wouldn't have
said it that way anyway.
Like that's not the way.
I think it just kind of came tome and it came through the Holy
Spirit.
Like the Holy Spirit does thatwork?
So as we step out, as we takesteps of faith, like God will,
will partner with that step offaith.
(08:32):
That's how faith works, right.
We we take a step, knowing thatGod will back us up.
He'll be there, because that'sthe kind of God that we serve.
That's who he wants us to be.
He wants us to take those steps, even though it's fearful, even
though we feel inadequate.
We take a step of faith andthen we watch as God meets us
there and fills in all the gapsRight.
(08:54):
I think of a Moses who who saidover and over again when God
said hey time to step up, he hadall the excuses in the book
right, he had he had all theexcuses, I can't talk.
had he had all the excuses, I?
Speaker 1 (09:07):
can't talk and I'm I'm not, like I'm, I'm a
fugitive and like you don't wantme, no one's gonna listen to me
.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Yeah, yeah at the end of the day, he was like you
know what, just send somebodyelse and you know he had so many
inadequacies and god used him.
Yeah, like he was a mightyleader.
God can use anybody.
So I would just encourageanyone who's listening like take
a step and jump in, whetherthat's in like youth or the kids
(09:36):
, or in like an LYA, or in ourconnect groups or discipleship.
We have all these discipleshipopportunities right.
There's so many ways to investin another human being right In
relationships, and I would justencourage you to do it Like step
out and try it and watch Godwork.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Well, I'm even, you know, thinking of the parable of
the talents you know like wetalked about God has given you.
Maybe it's one, maybe it's five,maybe it's 10, but he's giving
you something and he calls usall to, like you just said, step
out to use your talents, toinvest them so that there's a
return.
So there's that growth.
And you know, certainly in aspiritual warfare context, you
(10:21):
know, Satan likes us when we'recomfortable not not doing those
things, not moving forwardbecause we're not doing our part
to grow in the faith.
So I think, yeah, we've talkedabout growth as a key word.
And how are we investing?
Because we're given time, we'regiven talents, we're given.
You know, getting away from thefinancial analogies, you know
(10:41):
God's put people around us to orinto.
So how much are we willing toinvest?
Do you wake up every day?
You know your feet hit thefloor.
How can I invest this day thatI've been given for God's glory
or for his purposes?
And there's so many ways to dothat.
So how are you walking forwardin those those ways?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Yeah, what for you, jasonason, have been some of the
maybe most beneficial ways thatpeople have invested in you,
that maybe they can be obviousor just like man.
This happened to me like I wasinvested in this way, because I
think in my own life we're likeI didn't know they were
investing in me and looking back, you're like man.
(11:21):
They were they were.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
They were definitely doing that.
They know, they knew what theywere doing.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
you know yeah, Um and yeah.
So what are some of theinstances I think it's helpful
to listen to, to know that it'snot just a formal Sunday morning
you got to sit down in a classand teach a kid a thing, Um.
But there are many differentways, as you mentioned already,
that they don't even involveteaching.
You don't have to teachanything correct.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
You can invest in other ways yeah, yeah, over the
over my life.
When I just reflect on peoplethat have invested in me, I
first think about my mom and dad, right, and how they
intentionally invested in myspiritual maturity growing up.
Um, I think about, uh, some ofmy youth leaders, right, and I
(12:07):
know you're saying like notformally, but those people, yeah
, like year after year, pouredinto me and my peers, yeah, in
ways that I didn't appreciate atthe time at all.
Yeah, but looking back, I'mlike they spent so much time and
energy and not just like when Ithink about, um, my youth
(12:29):
leaders when I was like ateenager.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
And the most impactful times, the things that
impacted me, the memories thatI have, weren't a classroom, it
wasn't a Wednesday night, itwasn't a Sunday morning, it was
the times when we went camping.
It was the times when we went onbike rides, it was the times
when we were sitting around likea campfire and just talking
about life or something happenedand I'm just, like you know,
(12:57):
talking to my youth leader aboutit.
Yeah, it was those momentsright, where things happen while
you're on one of those trips orone of those retreats and like
you have to deal with it with ayouth leader, right, it was
those moments where I felt themost invested.
Looking back and then movingforward in my life, I had some
(13:20):
amazing peers as I got into,like college age that we were
investing in each other, um, anda couple key like older adults
that again like, like you said,um, I didn't realize it at the
time, again, like you said, Ididn't realize it at the time
but these key people that were alittle older than you, that
(13:44):
kind of just pulled you intotheir life.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Right, and, before you know it, you're living life
with them, watching them gothrough situations, navigating
that yeah.
Watching them, parent watchingthem, deal, deal with things,
and then you're starting to askthem questions and just having,
you know, real discussions andum, just talking about life and
(14:09):
navigating that with someoneelse yeah, it's so integral,
like yeah, I mean, I think ofthat.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
You made that youth comment.
Like I remember right out ofhigh school being involved in
the youth group and it's a, it'sa challenge.
Like when you're in it, you'relike, okay, I'm just, but when
you're serving in it I disciple.
A couple of guys who haveserved in the youth group and
just they're like man, like Idon't know if I want to keep
doing this, like I feel likethey're not even listening to me
(14:36):
, I feel like they're not, likeI'm there for no reason or all
the different things.
And I often say like man, ayouth group is an investment
that you don't necessarily seein the moment.
Return on like that's the longball, like you're playing a long
ball with yeah you're there in,like you said, week in, week
out and just being available,and then, when they're 25,
they'll look back and be like,oh man, that youth leader.
(14:58):
He played a huge part in mylife because I was able to say
and this is what I'm strugglingwith today Like, all right, hey,
I've been a little crazy todayand he's kind of correcting me
and I didn't really like that,but it's what I needed in the
moment, you know like, and soit's hard, but it's without it.
I think people fall and aren'toften pulled back up in a lot of
instances, if that makes sense.
Yeah, so yeah, it's pretty wild.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, it's very important, for sure really
investing into the lives ofother people.
Like we said, it's not aboutmoney, it's not about that
numbers game, but and I thinkyou you hit on it it's doing
life together, walking withpeople, investing in them in a,
you know, sustained way.
You know, a lot of times wethink, oh, like you guys said,
(15:43):
it's like I'm teaching something, so I gotta download this
information.
A lot of times you don'tremember what you're the
greatest mentors in your life,like a lot of times you don't
remember necessarily things theysaid, but you remember how they
made you feel that they, you,were important, that they were
there for you.
That you were a priority to seeyou develop.
So I think to me that'sespecially as we're talking like
(16:04):
what investment looks like in,you know, strong christian
context.
So I don't know if you have anythoughts on that or kind of how
we can tangibly do that.
I think, like you said, ifpeople feel underqualified for
that, how would you encouragethem to start investing in some
way?
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I mean, I feel like, just like we said before, you
have to take a step out, and itdoesn't have to necessarily be
something that you'recomfortable with, right.
And it doesn't have to besomething formalized, right,
Maybe it's.
Maybe it's saying you know what?
I just want to grab a cup ofcoffee with another guy, Right?
(16:46):
Maybe it's peer to peer first.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
And you're like I just need to, I need to find one
or two people to buildrelationship with.
Okay, and if you're, if you'relistening to this and you're
like that sounds great, but whodo I ask?
Like I don't know, I'm justsupposed to walk up to someone
randomly on a Sunday morning andsay, hey, do you want to go get
coffee?
I mean, you could do that, um,but we also have resources here,
(17:11):
right, like, nate, you, youfacilitate a lot of that.
Someone could come to you andsay, hey, I'd love to meet with
one or two guys.
Right, get coffee, talk aboutlife, study through something,
whatever you know.
Is there anybody looking forthat?
Speaker 2 (17:29):
oh, yeah and when you learn where you are in life,
what you do.
That's a blessing at life house, you know, we do have.
We are blessed with so manypeople from so many walks of
life.
You know, as you get to know thecongregation there's somebody
who's walked through what you'vewalked through, there's
somebody who's probably been inyour shoes can really help you
and that you can connect with.
(17:50):
So yeah, we're definitely as awhy it's as a church body to
facilitate those connections.
Exactly like you say, gettinginto those relationships,
whether it's a small groupoffering those, whatever you're
struggling with too, you can getinto those discipleship
relationships and you're goingto bring something to that table
.
You will, we always say too,even if you've been walking a
(18:12):
little while but you've neverdiscipled anybody, you'll grow
as much from investing in thatrelationship as they do from you
.
A lot of times, if nothing else, you learn more because you
have to come prepared, and sothat might be a good segue.
We talked the importance ofinvesting into others, but how
do we also view spirituallyinvesting in ourselves, not so
(18:32):
much in the culturalself-centeredness, but how do we
invest in our personal faithand our personal walk?
You know what'd you say?
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Yeah, I mean I think that comes along with a lot of
the the other things that we'veseen already in this year's
study.
Right, we have focused onthings like being in God's word.
We've we've focused on prayer,we've focused on um, these ideas
, that, these ideas that reallybuild our relationship with
(19:04):
Christ, which is so pivotal.
I mean we have to be growing sothat we can we need to be
poured into so we can pour outto other people, so it shouldn't
be lost on us that it it isimportant to be investing in our
relationship with the Lord.
And that happens, I mean it itfeels oftentimes when we get to
this point in the conversation.
It it feels almost too you knowtoo wrote to say, well, read,
(19:29):
read your Bible and pray, butlike that's what you do.
Right, like if I asked someonewho was a professional athlete,
like what are the best things todo to get better at hitting a
baseball?
You swing.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
You swing a bat a lot of times.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Yeah, you hit a baseball over and, over and over
again.
You just do that thing a lot oftimes.
There's not a magic bullet,there's not all these fancy ways
to get better at hitting abaseball, to get better at
playing a piano, you just playthe piano.
Right?
There's basic practice.
That's important, right, andthat's no different in our
(20:10):
Christian walk, right?
If you want to know the Bible,you have to read the Bible.
So read the Bible.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
And I think of, too, that same sports analogy as I
was thinking about it.
It's like they're learning keyfactors to help them be better
at doing the thing that they'redoing.
And so often people will get tothe point of I can't really
invest in myself because I don'tknow how to read the Bible or I
don't know how to pray orwhatever that might be.
And it's like, how do you learnto do that?
Like you just learn the tipsand the ideas and you listen to
(20:40):
other people and you askquestions.
And I mean, like it's not just,I guess you should, even if you
don't know how to read thequote, unquote, how to read the
Bible, sit down and just read.
Like there are ways that you canlearn to study more in depth
and more real and more you knowpracticing really the practice
of it.
So you don't have to be alone,I mean, you don't have to just
(21:01):
push through and I'm not gettingnothing, that I'm just keep
reading Like there are ways towork through inductive Bible
study and different things likethat, and that's why you have a
coach right.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Like people don't know how to swing a bat, don't
just pick it up and all of asudden become good at it, like
you need a coach to tell you,hey, get your, get your elbow up
, or like, make sure your yourfeet are turned in, or whatever.
Like someone has to coach youalong the way and at some point
along that journey you can lookback and say oh, man, bud, you
(21:34):
got to like put your handstogether a little bit more, or
like choke up a little or getyour elbow up, because I heard
that a hundred times from mycoach you can start pouring
downstream right to those thatwere in your shoes a couple
years ago.
So, yeah, maybe one of thethings here is like, if you're
still sitting there feelinginadequate, you're like, well, I
don't know what to do, I don'tthink I could pour into anyone.
Well then, get poured intoright, get into a discipleship
(21:55):
relationship.
Right, reach out.
We'll get you paired up withsomeone and, after being
discipled for a little while,you'll be able to turn around
and then pour into someone elsebecause you will grow and as you
grow then you'll be able toturn around and and pour back
out like downstream.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, I think a key thing, too, is being willing to
invest the time in terms ofeverything we've just talked
about that practice swing.
It means you go to the battingcage, you make an hour and you
do it now and it takes effort.
You know, I think in our again,we're in a highly distracted
society.
It's easy to like time flies,doom scrolling, all of these
(22:36):
things.
Are you willing to invest thetime to put yourself in that and
spend the time with the Lordand with others to allow the
growth to happen, bothpersonally?
And you know, everything we'vetalked about investing in others
takes time.
You know your five minuteconversation.
you're not going to grow andthat's not much of an investment
into others if it's like, well,I got five minutes for you,
(22:58):
what's your question?
And give a canned answer.
But what are you strugglingwith?
Or what are you reading theBible that you're not
understanding?
Or maybe we pray together?
What is it that we can investtime?
I think that's always such.
Satan is so against our busyculture of like time is hard to
find, you know, we're always toobusy for it.
(23:19):
So, being an investment, Ithink really that being a key,
and I don't know if, maybe, ifyou've seen good, bad as a
teacher, you know you're alwaysinvesting into your students,
and with varying levels ofresponse, I'm sure, but you know
, again, we varying levels ofresponse, I'm sure, but you know
, again, we're kind of like whoare the best?
You know you talk about peoplepoured into you.
So maybe times when you saw themost personal growth, what kind
(23:40):
of moved you to invest time ortalents, you know how did you
kind of see that?
Or God moving?
I know you shared a great, youknow, Christy, being in meetings
.
You know how can we have theheart change to invest in
ourselves and others.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
That's a good question.
Um, I mean, I would start withprayer, because our heart
doesn't change on our own.
Like I can't really change myheart, but I can recognize that
I need a heart change.
So if I'm at that point, if I'mlike, okay, my heart's not
right, I need it to change, Iwant to be able to take these
(24:15):
steps and invest, but I know I'mnot there, then it's got to
start with prayer, asking God tochange my heart, to reframe and
realign the way I think abouthis kingdom priorities in my
life, cause it's probably a bigdeal.
Then I probably have prioritiesthat aren't in line.
If I can't find any time toinvest in God's kingdom.
(24:36):
There's probably a priorityissue, which means my heart
needs changed in that lane.
But it's going to take prayer,it's going to take um sacrifice
and saying, okay, god, I'm, I'mwilling to lay some things down,
but I need you to change myattitude, my heart posture.
(24:57):
Otherwise I'm just going tokeep saying over and over again
I don't have time, I don't havetime, I don't have talent.
You can get stuck in that place.
So it's got to start with Goddoing something in us to desire
to invest in somebody else.
If you have a desire to investin God's kingdom, you're going
to find ways to do it.
Like, at the end of the day, wefind ways to do things that we
(25:19):
love.
If, if, if your heart is turnedtowards the things of God, you
will find time to do it Rightand you'll sacrifice things that
then don't mean as much anymore.
And I've had to journey througha lot of that Right.
I've had to let go of a lot ofthings that sucked up my time,
that I thought were reallyimportant, and now, looking back
(25:41):
, I'm like you, dummy, why didyou think that was important?
That should have been prioritynumber, like 53.
And I had it too, you know, Um,but it has to come through
prayer.
Prayer it has to come throughgod doing a work.
We can recognize that we needto change, but we just
continually go to god and askhim to to do that work.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Yeah, I think something you said too, jarvis,
and thinking about what you said, jason, it's the long game you
know, like investing is to bringback in the financial.
You know you don't do much.
Again, it creates the stockmarket like fast returns, you
know dot com bubbles, all thesekind of things.
Like fast growth.
But, true, like a Warren Buffett.
(26:23):
You mentioned financial peaceand helping with that ministry.
It's a long game.
You know you're investing alittle bit and the growth comes
over time and I think that's aneternal perspective of do you
want to grow closer to the Lordand have that eternal
perspective and invest in it?
You know, invest in therelationship with the Lord and
with others and it takes littledeposits over time.
(26:44):
You know those relationshipsthat you've talked about.
So I think that's hugely key ofour perspective and the choices
you make is really importanthow we view that investment and
the priorities.
You know, if your priority isthat and I think that's we talk
about sanctification that's Godpreparing us for what he wants
for us.
You know the direction we wantto go, so I'm sure you see that
(27:05):
again as a teacher and studentslike it's not that just get it
one day.
It's that investment you haveto make teaching over time, not
just get it one day.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
It's that investment you have to make, teaching them
over time.
I think too, sometimesinvesting in people is, like you
said, risk, and so I thinkoften it takes you being the
Lord places people in our heartall the time.
Right, a lot of the guys Idisciple is because when I saw
them, I was like they need to beinvested in, and who else is
going to do it?
Oh, no, I saw them, I was likethey need to be invested in, and
who else is going to do it?
(27:33):
Oh, no one.
Okay, I am, you know.
And so asking, taking kind ofthe bold approach and be like
hey, is anyone discipling you?
Are you meeting with anybody?
No, okay.
Well, hey, I would love to meetwith you and just talk through
the Bible and just, you know,teach what it looks like.
And so often I think peopledon't disciple because they just
don't ask and they want peopleto come and ask them, like, oh,
(27:54):
can I disciple you?
And it's like well, or can youdisciple me, or whatever.
That is like you have to onboth ends.
If you're someone who wants tobe discipled or someone, or you
want to disciple someone, therehas to be some aspect of I want
to invest in you, or can youinvest in me?
And taking the chance of beingtold no?
You know what I mean, becauseif not, you just don't, you're
(28:14):
just not going to ever haveanyone, you know.
So it's super important.
And so we have a couple minutesleft.
It feels like it's flown.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
This is awesome.
It's been a good conversation.
Jason's on.
We're like, oh, where does thistime go?
Great conversation.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
About two minutes left.
What kind of maybe last minuteencouragement.
If you had to kind of sum it upin a couple sentences, what
would you encourage someone totake away that they can maybe
take in and do today, tomorrow,or begin to pray?
Speaker 3 (28:43):
about I would.
I would say, come back to thismarathon mentality, right, that
that the, the prize is, in manyways, a long way off.
You may not see yourself orsomeone else growing along the
way, but you know that there'ssomething really important at
the end of that road, um, andthat God, in his word, cares
(29:06):
very much about people investingin his kingdom and his work and
the things that he's doing.
We see it littered throughoutscripture.
We see Jesus himself investingyears into these disciples who,
for all accounts, were nobodies.
Right, like, why would youinvest in these guys?
You could have picked betterguys, but he does, um.
(29:27):
So, knowing that God is in thebusiness of investing for the
long term, we should want tojoin him in that.
Yeah, right, and just knowingthat there's a prize, there's a
goal far down the road that'sreally, really worth it and go
(29:48):
for it.
Yeah, be willing to take a risk.
Yeah, jump in there.
That's good.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
And Jason, thank you so much.
Risk.
Yeah, jump in there, that'sgood.
And Jason, thank you so much.
Man, it's been a pleasure.
You're welcome, as always, italways is, so we look forward to
having you on for the fourthtime in 2025.
Hopefully.
I'll have to get that one onthe schedule.
Whenever that is, we'll figureit out.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Thanks a lot.
Thanks for tuning in to theLife Talk podcast.
If this episode encouraged you,please be sure to like, comment
, subscribe and leave a reviewso others can find this content
as well, and we'll look forwardto seeing you next Monday for
another great episode.
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